


Something in the Food?

by sum_nemo



Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Oblivious Ori, Reference to dubcon/noncon - not explicit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-16
Updated: 2013-02-16
Packaged: 2017-11-29 12:25:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/686933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sum_nemo/pseuds/sum_nemo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ori knows these symptoms must be a sign of illness. Why else would his stomach be doing flip-flops, his heart racing and his hands sweating? It's just unfortunate it had to happen on this quest, just as it's unfortunate Bofur keeps making hammer jokes Ori doesn't understand. Oh well. At least he's made a new friend in Dwalin.</p><p>(Or: That fic where Dori and Nori never told Ori what attraction felt like, or what it leads to.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something in the Food?

**Author's Note:**

> Fill for:  
> Ori's a late-bloomer. Technically older than Fili and Kili, but physically less developed.
> 
> At some point on the quest, he becomes attracted to another member of the company. (I prefer Dwalin, but am open to anyone)
> 
> The problem is, Ori's never been physically attracted to anyone before, and doesn't recognize the symptoms.
> 
> Maybe he thinks he's coming down with a fever.
> 
> Maybe he thinks he's just terrified, since his hands keep sweating, and his heartrate jumps so badly, and the pit of his stomach twists and turns.
> 
> Someone in the company has to take him aside and explain what's going on. (preferably without laughing at poor clueless, obvious, oblivious Ori.)
> 
> http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/4373.html?thread=9937941#t9937941

Ori walked in silence, thinking of his bad luck to have been struck ill on such a difficult quest. Ori's heart had been racing at random intervals over the last few weeks. It started the day they visited Bilbo's house. Ori had assumed it was because he'd eating something that disagreed with him, since his stomach churned that night as well. Now, though, his stomach flip-flopped some days, and his heart raced others. He was grateful for his mittens, since they hid how sweaty his hands got when he was riding his pony. 

 

Ori thought food poisoning seemed to be the most likely cause. They started at Bilbo’s dinner, which why he initially suspected it was something he ate. The symptoms had been at their worst after eating elvish food, which all but confirmed his suspicions. When they all sat around laughing and joking in their underclothes Ori had experienced all the symptoms at once and a new sensation of feeling too warm. He shouldn't have, since he was sitting further from the fire than most. 

 

Dwalin had chosen to sit further away, and he always had the best jokes, so Ori sat by him. His jokes were the sort that left Dori glaring and tutting about propriety. Dwalin had taken to riding next to Ori. They'd pass the time by talking of the battles Dwalin had been in, or of the ballads Ori had memorized.

 

His growing friendship with Dwalin was the most surprising part of this quest. Ori’s thoughts shifted to his good fortune to have made such a friend. When Ori had seen Dwalin across the table in Bag-End he'd been struck speechless for a moment. Once that moment had passed Ori thought immediately of his varying inadequacies: that he was too weak, small, young, and odd for Dwalin to ever want to spend time with him. Yet now Ori couldn't imagine a meal without Dwalin passing him his bowl, or offering to trade the green food for a bit of his potato.

 

Dwalin was a good kind of dwarf to be friends with. When the elves came riding around them he grabbed Ori and pulled him back. When they were escaping the goblin caves he pushed his battle hammer into Ori's hands. (Though when Ori mentioned that to Bofur later the dwarf laughed rather loud, then suggested he rephrase his description before writing it in his journal.)

 

"Wizards are always the strangest traveling companions. They've got friends everywhere." Dwalin said, startling Ori out of his thoughts.

 

 _Oh dear, there goes my heart again,_ Ori thought.

 

"At least they're the useful sort. I hope we'll have more than a night with this friend, I'd like to catch up with my records." Ori replied, hoping he didn't reveal to Dwalin the illness that seemed to be striking him. It wouldn't do for the older dwarf to start worrying.

 

"If we do get more than a day, I'd like to spend some time teaching ye how to fight with my hammer." Dwalin said, and coloured slightly when he finished the sentence. Ori could see Bofur elbowing Bifur further ahead, though he didn't really understand why. 

 

"Was I that horrible with the goblins?" Ori asked, anxiously.

 

"No! Not at all" Dwalin said quickly, "Ye seemed to have a natural talent. And talents ought to be used."

 

Ori beamed when he heard the praise. His stomach churned and he did his best to ignore it. _What an unfortunate time for the symptoms to return._

 

"I'd like that, though, uh" Ori paused, trying to find the words to say what he needed to politely.

 

"Though what?" Dwalin asked, sounding anxious. 

 

"Though maybe we shouldn't tell my brothers. Dori's always worrying - that's why I don't know how to use a proper weapon - and Nori's, well, he's -"

 

"He hates me fer arresting him," Dwalin finished for him. He had a wide grin on his face as he looked up ahead to where Ori's brothers were walking. Before Ori could say anything else Thorin called Dwalin to the front.

 

"We'll talk again when we get to wherever Gandalf's taking us," Dwalin said, reaching out to touch Ori's wrist. He held on for a moment, then walked quickly ahead to find Thorin.

 

Gandalf's friend turned out to be a giant by the name of Beorn. His wooden cabin was warm, and he ensured the were all well fed at dinner. Dwalin sat at the end of the table with his brother, the two chatting in low voices. Balin seemed worried about something, and Dwalin had squared his shoulders as he usually did when he was feeling defensive. Bofur was repeating a joke about Ori, Dwalin and war hammers to Bombur, who laughed hard enough he started to choke. Bofur slapped him hard on the back until he could breath again. 

 

"I don't get it," Ori said to Bofur. 

 

"Don't get what?"

 

"Why your joke is funny." 

 

"Think creatively. Even if ye haven't had a tumble with Dwalin, think about the last one ye had, and think about the bits involved in a tumble" Bofur said wiggling his eyebrows.

 

"Why would I fall with Dwalin? Or anyone else? The only things involved with tripping are me and the thing I've tripped over," Ori replied.

 

Bofur just looked at him blankly for a moment.

 

"Yer having us on," Bombur said, looking over at Ori.

 

"No, I'm not. I just don't understand," Ori looked down at his plate and started pushing the green things on it around with his fork. 

 

"Never mind then, if you don't want to explain." Ori said, then angled his body away from Bofur.

 

Bifur, who sat on Ori's other side looked at him, then across the table to where Ori's brothers sad. The two were arguing over something. He elbowed Ori and once Ori looked at Bifur, he started signing in iglishmêk. 

 

"They had the talk with you?" 

 

"What talk?" Ori signed back.

 

"About what adults do when they come together."

 

"Come together how?" Ori replied, feeling more confused than ever.

 

Bifur sighed. He'd had this conversation with Bofur and Bombur since their father hadn't been around to, but he'd spoken to them at a much younger age than Ori. 

 

"Your brother's have been reckless. I'll speak with you later tonight. It isn't for the dinner table," Bifur signed. Ori replied with profuse thanks, then went back to his food. 

 

***

 

"But wouldn't that hurt?" Ori asked in a low whisper. He and Bifur were sitting by a window away from the rest of the group. The two were communicating in a combination of Khuzdul and iglishmêk. Ori wasn't a native speaker of Khuzdul, since he grew up mostly in human cities. His accent was better than Kili's, but mainly wrote in the language when he used it. Dori had put a greater emphasis on iglishmêk since it allowed them to talk without humans even knowing they were speaking. Between the two languages Ori was able to get a grasp of why jokes about hammers were so funny to Bofur.

 

"Ye'd get something to slick up the process, just like using a pulley with a chain," Bifur said pragmatically. "Sometimes ye need it with a lass, too."

 

Ori still didn't think it sounded at all comfortable. It must have shown on his face, since Bifur continued. 

 

"If ye really don't like it, and a fair number don't, there's nothing wrong with that. Ye just have to let whoever yer tumbling with know they've got to stick with hands and mouths." 

 

"But what if, well, what if that's not enough?" Ori asked anxiously. The way Bifur had spoken, it seemed like for most couples that was the best part - the who point of the exercise. 

 

"If they aren't happy with what yer comfortable with, then they aren't worth tumbling with!" Bifur said forcefully. He sounded really angry as he said it, though he was looking over at Bombur when he did. He looked back at Ori and he reached out and grabbed Ori's arm.

 

"If they keep asking and asking, if they try to without yer say so, or do it if ye say no, or if they make ye feel bad for saying no, you leave them. Even if you have to hit them, you leave them. And if they follow, ye get someone nice and big to scare them off, like yer brother Dori. I want you to promise me that."

 

"I promise," Ori said. Bifur seemed to calm down after than.

 

"Do ye have any questions?' Bifur asked. Ori resisted the urge to look over at Bombur, and ask what happened to make Bifur so angry. 

 

"Well, how can you tell? Tell if you wanna, well, tumble with someone," Ori asked. 

 

"It depends. Everyone's a bit different, but ye'll, well, ye'll feel warm, maybe yer hands get the sweats, maybe your stomach decides to do acrobatics. Your heart will race, and maybe ye'll blush. Usually this happens when yer around them, or lookin at 'em or thinking of 'em. Though thinking of them can lead to other things, if yer thinking alone in bed, as I mentioned before" 

 

Ori thought about it a moment. _That matches everything I've been feeling. But who -_ ** _Dwalin_**. Ori's eyes widened as he realized that Dwalin had almost always been there when he'd been feeling odd. The few times he'd felt off when Dwalin wasn't there were times he'd been thinking about Dwalin.

 

"So that what - uh - I mean, er -" 

 

"Ye didn't know?"

 

"I thought I'd eating something that didn't agree with me," Ori said, feeling embarrassed. When he looked over at Bifur he saw an open smile. It wasn't the mocking smile that often adorned Kili and Fili's faces.

 

"We'd all been wondering. Balin thinks ye've been right cruel to lead Dwalin on as you have been. He'll be happy to hear ye just didn't know any better."

 

"Leading him on? Bifur, you must be mistaken. He'd have to be interested in me for lead him on."

 

"He takes every chance to sit near ye, touches ye far more often than someone who isn't yer kin should, and is offering to teach you how to fight. If ye were younger I'd say it was brotherly, but yer too old to need another mentor. He was more subtle about it at first, but ye didn't say yes or no so he got bolder."

 

"Oh dear. Does everyone know?"

 

"Yer brothers don't seem to. Dori's willfully blind, if ye ask me. And Dwalin knows better than to flirt in front of Nori."

 

"How would I - well - uh. I don't know if I'd like to go all the way, but if I wanted to let him know I feel the same way, what would I need to do?"

 

Bifur smiled again. He remembered all the years back when Bofur had come home from the mines asking how to talk to girls, then a few weeks later asking how to get them to know he'd like to do more than talk.

 

"Ye should sit close to him, closer than ye normally would. If you get the chance to touch an arm, take it - though if ye don't want to seem brash make sure you don't do that in front of people."

 

"He's offered to teach me how to fight tomorrow," Ori said helpfully,

 

"Lean into him if ye get the chance. Maybe comment on how strong he is. Dwalin's been raised to be proper, though. Ye might have to say something to him."

 

"I can't just say, 'oh, hello Dwalin. I think I might like to roll around with you a bit, but I'm not really sure so can we just kiss'" Ori said, sounding horrified.

 

"Nah, lad. Ye'd have to be more subtle. Make a comment about how ye like spending time alone with him, and ye'd like the chance to do it again. Then follow up with a comment about how ye find him handsome. Ye'd have to be dumb as rock not to get that hint."

 

"That makes more sense," Ori said.

 

"Now, if yer sure ye'll act tomorrow let me know. We've all got money on the outcome, and I'd like to place a bet the two of ye will be confirmed before we leave the shape-shifter's cabin."

 

"I - there are bets on this? I'll guess Nori and Dori aren't in on them," Bifur nodded at Ori's question. Ori couldn’t find it in his heart to be offended. If it were two other dwarves he would have been betting as well.

 

"I'll do my best to talk with Dwalin in the morning, and I'll let you know by evening how it went, alright?" Ori paused before continuing, "And thank you so much for explaining everything to me, I know it's, uh, it's not an easy thing to do."

 

Bifur just beamed in response and told Ori they had better move to rejoin the rest of their group.

 

"Dwalin looks jealous," Bifur whispered, before dragging Ori over to the fireplace. 

 

Bifur went to join his cousins, and Ori sat next to Dwalin. He shuffled over so his thigh was pressed against the older dwarf's, and offered a shy smile at Dwalin's scowling face. Dwalin asked sullenly, "What were ye talking about?"

 

"Oh, he was explaining some craft I wasn't familiar with. Probably something Dori or Nori should have done but didn't."

 

Dwalin seemed to cheer up after hearing that. From across the room Balin gave Ori a disapproving look .

***

 

Bifur had provided an excellent distraction in the morning so Ori could slip out of the cabin unnoticed. Before he'd snuck out he'd made eye contact with Dwalin, mimicked the motion of swinging a hammer. He walked down the front path, then walked out into a field. It was far enough from the cottage that his brothers wouldn't be able to see him out the window. Dwalin came along a few minutes later with his hammer slung over one shoulder.

 

"I can't believe Bifur chose to fight with yer older brother over _knitting patterns_ of all things."

 

"Oh, well, I asked him to. He doesn't really know much about them, just what I told him will rile Dori up. Bombur's the knitter in their family," Ori replied. Dwalin got closer and Ori felt his heart begin to race again. The anxiety he'd felt the day before didn't follow his heart speeding up. He felt warmth spread through him instead. Dwalin walked up to Ori, put his hammer down, then stood much closer than he needed to.

 

"And why would ye ask that?"

 

"Oh, well. I wanted to spend time alone with you, and Dori can be so overprotective," Ori said. His conversation with Bifur came to mind as he spoke, and the warmth in his chest moved upwards towards his face. He knew without seeing himself in a mirror that he was blushing. Dwalin's eyes tracked his growing blush, and he smiled. 

 

Dwalin held on of Ori's wrists and pulled him over to the hammer. He guided Ori through the most basic fighting stances, speaking in a low voice all the while. He had both arms around Ori, his hands over Ori's wrists. Whenever Dwalin spoke, his voice sounded deeper than normal. _Which really shouldn't make sense because he's not talking very loudly,_ Ori thought. He couldn't really dwell on it, because soon after thinking it Dwalin's breath brushed against his ear and neck. 

 

"Yer doing a good job. Once we've got Erebor back, I'll make ye a hammer to match." Dwalin said. Ori felt a shiver go down his spine. Dwalin's lips brushed past his ear, and his voice made Ori feel a little like his knees might give in.

 

"You'd have to give me another lesson, then. Like this one, with just the two of us," Ori replied. Suddenly the warm feeling spread quickly throughout his body again as Dwalin began to lay kisses along Ori's neck. He kissed Ori's ear as he guided the hammer to the ground. Ori turned to face Dwalin and found his lips attached to the older dwarve's. Dwalin pushed Ori backwards, guiding him to a tree. Dwalin's body pressed against Ori, and he felt the rough bark through the tunic he was wearing. 

 

Dwalin slid one hand up the back of Ori's tunic as he continued to kiss the scribe. Ori felt Dwalin's other hand come to rest on his cheek as Dwalin moved to kiss down his neck again. When Dwalin moved back to kiss Ori's mouth, his hand slipped behind Ori's head. Ori kissed back as best he could, mimicking whatever motions Dwalin made. Dwalin's tongue came out and briefly touched his lips, and he responded by gasping. Dwalin took the opportunity to deepen the kiss.

 

He pushed against Ori harder and Ori could feel the evidence of Dwalin's arousal. Ori wasn't entirely sure what he'd like to do about this situation, but he was quite happy with how things were going. Dwalin pulled gently on the hair at Ori's nape, and Ori felt himself groan involuntarily, and push his hips towards Dwalin.

 

Dwalin pulled away and looked into Ori's eyes.

 

"Ye've led me on the longest chase I've ever had, and I believe yer well worth it" Dwalin whispered. He went back to kissing Ori's neck. 

 

"Well I didn't mean too. I just didn't realize -" Ori stopped talking when Dwalin pulled away.

 

"Ye didn't realize my interest in ye? Balin had to speak with me about my unseemly displays of affection," Dwalin said incredulously. 

 

"I didn't know interest was an option, or what it led to," Ori replied, looking away from Dwalin in embarrassment. 

 

"Ye had no idea about flirting?" Dwalin asked, stroking Ori's back gently, "Or what flirting aims at? That'd mean - well, ye've never done this before, have ye?"

 

"No, I haven't. I've never really felt - felt what I feel around you before. And Dori never mentioned anything about - about, well. You know." Ori said awkwardly, still avoiding Dwalin's gaze. Dwalin's hand moved from Ori's neck back to his face. Dwalin gently turned Ori's head towards him.

 

"How'd ye learn then? I'll not hold yer ignorance against you." Dwalin pulled back a little, removing his hand from up Ori's shirt.

 

"Aule, I hope I haven't come on too hard. Ye'd tell me if ye didn't want something, right?" Dwalin said quickly, sounding very anxious. Ori could see guilt on Dwalin’s face.

 

"Bifur made sure I knew to say no if I wasn't happy. And I was very happy with what we were just doing" Ori replied, reaching up to mirror Dwalin's touch. Dwalin's face was as warm as Ori felt. The guilt slowly changed into relief, then amusement.

 

"So that was the _craft_ he was speaking about." 

 

"Yes, and it was a craft you were just helping me practice. If you wouldn't mind I'd like to get back to it."

 

"Before we do, I'd like ye to tell me where I shouldn't put my hands," Dwalin replied, moving one hand back to its earlier position behind Ori's head. 

 

"Can we just, uh, can we stay above the waist?" Ori replies.

 

"Anything to kiss ye, anything ye want.” Dwalin assured him before laying light kisses down Ori’s neck. 

 

“I've waited this long to hold ye, and I can wait as long as ye need fer anything else" Dwalin continued, then brought his mouth back down to meet Ori's. His heart is racing yet again, and Ori hoped it was a sign of a Dwalin-induced illness that would last the rest of his life.


End file.
